Wake me up with yoga

Helloooooo 😀 Lack of technology isn’t going to keep me away! 😉 I’ve been bumming WiFi from school—I’m writing this from the internet-less hotel and will post it when I get to work. Still no word on when we’ll have internet again and no one seems to be in a hurry to fix it. Fun times 😀

How was your day? Mine has been bueno, thanks to another incredible yoga class at The Yoga Room. I wrote a little about my first experience in this post, but just have to say again how much I truly love it. The owner Laura has given me a newfound love for yoga and classes at her studio are one of the things I’m going to miss most about OKC.

I’ve been doing some hotel podcasts as well, courtesy of YogaDownload:

(Because all the cool kids press the timer button on the camera, run and jump into crow pose, haha)

It’s so funny because I haven’t always been a huge yoga fan. I started a couple of Rodney Yee DVDs when I began my weight loss journey, and after that I never really got into it. After a few super lame classes at the base gym, I called it quits until last fall when I started to give yoga another chance. I am SO glad I did and am hoping to one day get (almost) as good as Jenna, Heather or Averie 😀

MY OTHER VIDEOS

After yoga, we had to go to school for a Saturday class on menu development. For our “final” we’re creating an entirely raw meal using our own recipes: appetizer, entree and dessert. I’m not spilling the beans yet on what I’ll be making, but I will tell you it’s Mediterranean-inspired 😉 Any guesses?

For bfast, Michelle and I ordered some food from the cafe to munch while we were at school since yoga kicked our booties and we were starving.

I got my favorite blueberry pancakes and a Spice-C smoothie.

So delicious and it was perfect brain fuel to help me think of some meal ideas 😀

After school, we came back to the hotel-casa and I got started on laundry. I’m so glad I’ll probably only have to do it one more time before we leave! I’m totally shocked that we only have 1 more week of school—time has flown by, just like I thought it would.

For lonchi, I munched a glorious salad beast that I brought back from school. Everyone else ate it while we were in class, but since I had just had my pancakes, I saved it for later.

Maybe I love these so much because they remind me of my late night stops to Viva burrito in high school and college with friends 😀 Much healthier, but still a gooey bean burrito shrouded in a warm tortilla.

Covered in the good stuff:

Yes, I’ve finished almost an entire jar in a week 😉

Well I’m back at work now, ready for a busy Saturday night (please get dessert, people!).

Mayjah congrats to my friend Jenn for blowing her 10k goal into the dust. So proud of you, speed demon! GOOD LUCK to all of you who have races tomorrow! Rock it out.

I can not believe you only have one week left!! Thats crazy how fast time flys!!! Thanks for sharing while you were in school, I know you have had some crazy hours!! But I have been living through you at that school and I am drooling over here and so J!!!! Have a great week!!!

I wish I could get into yoga again…I used to love doing it and was getting really into it. Then school started and I just can’t jump back in. I think it’s because I can’t relax enough and my mind just goes crazy with thoughts about nearly everything.

I too can’t believe you are almost finished at school! It seems like it has been an awesome experience for you and I know that blogging on top of everything else you have going on is a huge time commitment. Thank you for keeping us all updated and letting us live vicariously through you 🙂

Your Crow is looking pretty kick a$$. Arm balances are my some of my favorite poses to practice. I usually fall over, but I’ll get there someday. Now handstand, that is an entirely different story. So far to go on that one. 🙂

I can’t believe you only have 1 week left. Seriously? Wow, that went by fast.

I’m ashamed to say I’ve never had an Amy’s Burrito. I shall pick one up soon in your honor.

how did you know there would be hummus involved? 😉
thanks friend! i just had my first brush with arm balances in class a couple of weeks ago. they’re super hardcore, especially the sideways one– hopefully i’ll get there one day!

Right under HEABs head goes my comment. Just like you grouped us up for yoga honorable mention 🙂 Thank you so much for the praise and props, girlfriend. You’re a doll, a hot one at that 🙂 Anyway, your bakasana looks pretty darn good there! There are lots of people who that takes years and years for them to do…it’s a sweet-spot center of gravity thing for anyone reading this who is bakasana-ally challenged. It’ll come, just stick with it. Gina next time you fly into AZ, I’d love to go do some yoga with you. Or, we can skip yoga and just head right to the shopping 🙂

Anyway sweetie, glad that you have a newfound love of yoga. The right studio, the right teacher, at the right time in one’s life can hook you for a lifetime on the practice. I know for me, it all came together like that, dare I say, crap I’m gettin’ old…nearly a decade ago. And it has changed and altered every single aspect of my life from my own self-esteem, to how I view the world, how it’s guided my relationships with others. I know I birthed my daughter 100% naturally & medication-free because of my yoga but more importantly I try to parent her with the love and acceptance yoga has taught and given to me.

Sorry to get sappy but I am soooo glad and happy and overjoyed for you! Namaste friend!

Wow! You make that pose look so easy. I can’t believe you set the timer on the camera and then got into the pose so well! I have done hotel yoga before:) That’s one thing I love about yoga–you can take it anywhere–especially with yogadownloads which I LOVE!

I recently started reading your blog and I love it. Thanks for all the great info and sharing your life. You look fantastic. Did you hesitate removing a lot of animal protein from your diet? I have this question because I have been brainwashed that fat loss is only possible with protein(animal) at every meal. I keep trying to go raw but fail because I am worried that I will gain weight. I am afraid that too many carrots, bananas, yams and squashes are going to put weight on. Did this ever cross your mind or did you just change your diet really slowly that it wasn’t a thought?

hey carrie,
it was definitely something i thought about as i started to eliminate animal protein from my diet. as a trainer, it goes against everything i was taught about nutrition and i was certainly apprehensive as i removed meat from my diet. i still eat fish and goat cheese (but haven’t since i got to okc since i eat at the restaurant for basically every meal) but even without these things i believe it’s totally possible to get more than enough protein. there are so many overlooked sources of protein, just make sure to get in a lot of fruits and veggies, leafy greens and grains. many people who get into vegetarianism/veganism forget that they need to focus on fresh food to maintain a healthy weight.. i’ve seen too many people switch to “vegetarian”, which for them meant a carb and peanut butter diet and then they were confused as to why they gained weight.
i think that too much of anything is unhealthy, so that’s why it’s so important to stick to balance even when you’re eating a plant-based diet. i usually will have one of anything just to keep myself in balance – like i wouldn’t have two bananas in one day.
hope this helps a little and i’ll post a little more thoroughly about my thoughts on this in an upcoming post.
xoxo

Hi Gina! It has been so wonderful to have you and Michelle in class! You both have such strong, beautiful practices! I can’t believe this is already your last week @ 105degrees. One of the beauties of yoga is we take our practice with us wherever we go. The Yoga Room will miss you! But I’m so glad we connected. If it works out for you girls to come to class this week, we will work on side crow! 🙂

Hi, gorgeous! I'm so glad you're here. Welcome to The Fitnessista, a healthy lifestyle blog emphasizing quick workouts, quick recipes and adventures as a wife and mom. Though I am a certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and weight loss specialist, the information posted here is not intended to substitute the advice of a medical professional. Please check out the about page for more info. Thank you for reading! ❤️